Queen of Love

“Of course. I didn’t mean to imply you were ignorant. I would never, Ms. Aya.”

Genevieve was called away by a newly arrived guest. As she scurried toward the entrance with both arms in the air, Aya was left to be more unnerved than five minutes before.

Bad blood is one thing. Aya surveyed the room. Quite another to leave me to the wolves if there are any in my midst. Aya hadn’t come here to talk politics, but she had traveled enough to know there were places in the world where that was all people talked about once they realized she was Japanese. If it wasn’t quizzing her about how real anime was when depicting Japanese culture, it was asking her if the used underwear vending machines were real and if she had ever learned about the Rape of Nanking.

Never any in between. Sometimes in the same conversation.

Aya knew, though, that if she were to make a good impression on Genevieve’s hoity-toity friends, she should mingle, or at least make herself available to the conversation.

The things you do for the woman you like. Yet the more Aya wandered the party, occasionally exchanging small and polite words with the other guests, the more she wondered why she was going this far for Genevieve, a woman she barely knew when all things were considered. Of course, she liked Genevieve – that wasn’t the quandary. Genevieve was sweet, darling, and gorgeous. Her mastery of conversations, both simple and complex, kept Aya on her toes. A worldly partner had always appealed to her, after all. The money was nice, but Aya hadn’t understood quite how wealthy Aya was until she made it down to Singapore. It was one thing to see the whistle-worthy hotel rooms and aid this woman in buying yet another building. Quite another to see the sprawling property called Orchid Grove that sat upon some of the world’s most expensive land.

Aya was not an insecure woman. At this point in her life, she knew who she was and what she wanted from a romantic partner. Although Genevieve had always been made of potential screws and wrenches, attending this party and being doted on like a novelty had reminded Aya she came from another world. Her middleclass Japanese family out in the Tokyo suburbs could not compare to the properties, houses, and businesses women like Genevieve and her peers owned. Nor could her somewhat cushy real estate job – that paid for a nice one-bedroom in Meguro, no less! – prepare her for the casual party topics like stock trading, off-shore accounts, and investments that were worth more than Aya’s livelihood.

It really is different on this level. Aya knew that. Academically.

Practically… that was another story.

“Aya, right?” Somehow, she had stumbled upon Wendy Ahn and her girlfriend Lisa Something. Who still looks really familiar, but I can’t quite place. Lisa must have been a celebrity. It was the only explanation for Aya’s uncanny thinking and made sense that someone on Wendy’s level would date a celeb. Who, though? Unfortunately, Aya’s knowledge of Chinese superstars was even worse than Korean or Thai. She barely knew who was hip in Japan. “How are you enjoying the party? Genevieve said this was your first foray into Singapore. Tell me, isn’t it simply divine here? I hope she’s treated you to some street food. It truly is our raison d’etre in the global sphere.”

“I haven’t had the pleasure yet, no. I only arrived today.” Aya kept her distance from the woman fanning herself. Her girlfriend, Lisa, was the one holding the smoking stick now. Not once had Aya witnessed any smoke coming out of it. “It really is unlike any other place I’ve been to. So far.”

“Oh? Where have you traveled?”

“Well…” Aya couldn’t help but feel this was a trick question, especially with both women staring at her as if she were an anomaly in a room full of queer ladies and their best straight friends. I’m not even the most masculine woman here. That honor went to someone whose name Aya had not caught, but until the woman turned to show off her slightly curvaceous side profile, Aya had assumed she was a feminine-looking man. Now I know how it feels. “I’ve lived in America off and on. California, to be specific.”

“California!” Both Wendy and Lisa exclaimed. Oh, Aya had their attention now. I knew dropping California would be the winning ticket. “Where at?”

“Southern. I did an exchange at UCLA a long, long time ago. I used to travel around the US about once a year before the pandemic put a stop to that for a while.”

“Ooooh, how exciting. Only America, though?”

“I’ve been to Australia for business.”

“Have you ever been to Taiwan?” Wendy pestered. “France? Italy? You should ask Genevieve to take you to Macau. That’s where the crazy parties happen.”

Lisa tittered beside her girlfriend. It was at that moment, when the quiet woman let her smile show, that Aya realized she did know where Lisa was from.

“Excuse me…” Aya faced Lisa, who dipped her head and stepped back. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Lisa shook her head.

“Oh, my girlfriend is so humble,” Wendy said with a humored tsk in her mouth. “Lisa is her chosen name. Back on the Mainland, she went by the name Yi Wei Fan.” Wendy paused for effect. When the name didn’t land, she said with a huff, “The singer. Surely, you’ve heard of Yi Wei Fan in Japan.”

“Ah, well… if she is famous, then that would explain why I recognize her face. I apologize. I don’t mean to single you out, Ms. Yi.”

A slight smile returned to Lisa’s face. “No offense taken. It’s kind of refreshing to not be so well-known.”

How about that? Later, when Aya would look her up, she’d discover that Yi Wei Fan was one of the biggest pop stars to break through the Mainland China market, having her heyday in the late ’00s and early ’10s. Her Wikipedia page noted she was dating Wendy Ahn, and because of this, had retired from the industry and hadn’t been back to the Mainland for several years out of fear of reprisal.

Until she discovered that, however, Aya merely imagined this submissive lover of Wendy’s being a B-list star who put out a few music videos, had one concert and fizzled out. She wouldn’t be more wrong.

“Genevieve has never really dated women like my Lisa,” Wendy said, while Aya’s thoughts wandered, “then again, she’s never really dated women like you, either, Aya.”

”Is that so? It’s my understanding that she’s recently changed her outlook on life and prefers a different partner now.”

“If that’s your way of saying she likes to get freaky on the bottom instead of the top now, then yes. You are correct. But… hm…” Aya didn’t like the way Wendy always looked like she was scheming something new as if Aya would have to head her off at the conversational pass at every turn. I’m exhausted already. ”As someone who knows our local Queen of Love very well, even if we may not be exactly the best of friends, I can safely say I’ve never seen her openly date someone quite like you. Oh, don’t take me wrong. You are very charming and, if I may, very pleasing to look at. She’s done way worse.”

“I honestly do not know how to take any of that.”